Mother's Remedies Part 227

333. A Serviceable Furniture Brush.--A serviceable furniture brush is made of turkey tail feathers. Take a stout twine and needle, sew the quills tightly together and cover the handle with a piece of oilcloth, smoothly st.i.tched into place, or wrap the handle with cloth and st.i.tch. A brush of this kind is very soft and may be used to dust any highly polished piece of furniture.

334. Uses of a Wooden Spoon.--Never use any but a wooden or silver spoon to stir anything with in cooking. Many a dish is spoiled by the cook stirring it with an iron or metal spoon. Wood is the best when any acid, such as vinegar, is used in the ingredients to be stirred.

335. Boiling Vegetables.--Boil parsnips and such vegetables with thin skins; then peel when cold. The flavor is preserved and your hands are not stained.

336. To Wash Furniture.--Furniture washed with castile soap and tepid water and rubbed with a piece of old silk will look like new.

[MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES 891]

337. Old Suitcases and Purses.--When suitcases and purses begin to show wear, coat all the spots with tan water color paint, and when perfectly dry rub over with a little sweet oil. Let stand for an hour, then rub with woolen cloth. Tan and brown shoes which have become scuffed may be treated in the same way.

338. Putting up Lunches.--Those who find the putting up of lunches a part of the daily routine may take comfort in the suggestion of one resourceful woman. When using eggs she sees to it that only a small piece of the sh.e.l.l is broken off from the end of one egg. The egg sh.e.l.l from which the piece has been cut is then washed and kept as a receptacle for jelly or jam for the noon lunch basket. The open end being protected by a piece of paper dipped in paraffin.

339. Paint Wicker Furniture.--If you must paint wicker furniture see that you buy paint that is well mixed and thinned to the proper consistency. If too thick it gets lumpy and the paint is apt to rub off on the clothes.

Porch chairs which are exposed to weather should be finished with a coat of enamel to make them last longer. The coat of enamel is also more easily dusted.

340. Bureau Drawers that Stick.--Wax is better to use on the bureau drawers that stick than soap. It works better and will not catch dirt so much.

341.--Uses for Old Envelopes.--Cut out the corners from all heavy envelopes, for they are excellent for holding coins sent by mail. They always make good corner protection.

342. To Prevent Fruit from Moulding.--A layer of absorbent cotton laid over the fruit in the mouth of the fruit cans is an excellent preventive against the mould. If mould should form, it will cling to the cotton and leave the fruit clean.

343. Linoleum or Oilcloth That is Cracked.--Linoleum that is badly cracked may be improved by a filler made of ochre and boiled flour paste. After the filling is dry the linoleum may be painted.

344. Borax as a Purifier for Ice Box.--Borax is an invaluable aid to the woman who wishes to keep her ice box immaculate. It is especially desirable for use in small refrigerators where little food is kept, and where ice is kept more for the purpose of preserving b.u.t.ter and milk and keeping bottled water cool. Cold water with plenty of pure borax, is preferable to hot water to use in wiping off the walls of the refrigerator. It does not heat the box and, being a germ killer, it purifies everything it touches. It may also he put in the corners of the refrigerator. Its best use of all is perhaps in keeping the receptacle for the ice itself and the outside tube in pure and sanitary condition. It may be sprinkled freely over the bottom of the ice box proper and on the rack holding the ice.

345. To Clean Gilded Surfaces.--To clean gilded surfaces, dip a soft brush in alcohol to which a few drops of ammonia water have been added, and with it go over the surface. Do not rub roughly or harshly. In about five minutes the dirt will have become soft and easy of removal. Then go over the surface again gently with the same or similar brush dipped in rain water. Now lay the damp article in the sunlight to dry. If there is no sunlight place it near a warm (but not hot) stove, and let dry completely in order to avoid streaks, taking care that the position of the article, during the drying is not exactly vertical.

[892 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

346. Hints for the Housewife.--Every housewife should have plenty of waxed paper or paraffin paper about the house. It is of the greatest value in preserving eatables from the air and keeping them properly moist. In the sandwich basket it is indispensable. Cake wrapped in it will keep moist and fresh for a much longer time than if put directly into the box. When the paper has become sticky run cold water on it, and it may be used again. Cheese wrapped up in it and put in the refrigerator will keep fresh for a week.

347. Excessive Gas Light Weakens the Eyes.--When the excessive light of the gas light or the electric bulb tires weak eyes, resort to the tallow candle. For the sick room wax candles are preferred, as they never produce smoke or smell. They seem to soothe the nerves of the invalid and in this way help to produce a restful night.

348. Handy Disinfectant for the Household.--Chlorate of lime moistened with vinegar and water, equal parts, is a handy disinfectant for the household. It can be kept in the cellar, and in case of sickness a few drops scattered around the house will purify the air.

349. For Closing Windows.--A piece of bamboo, an old blind roller, or any strong smoothly rounded stick about three feet long, with a small flat piece of wood about the same thickness, twelve inches long and covered with flannel, nailed across the ends, makes an admirable and useful article for closing top windows without either going outside or standing on a stool or a chair to reach, or straining one's self with the weight to be raised upward.